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Comments on MetaFilter post Comments on 19085Sun, 11 Aug 2002 23:42:16 -0800Sun, 11 Aug 2002 23:42:16 -0800en-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60Post number 19085http://www.metafilter.com/19085/
<a href="http://avenue.darkside.ru/library/history/hist015.htm" title="A basic biography of leon">Leon Sergeivitch Termen</a>, born in Russia and later a US resident, is best known as the inventor of <a href="http://www.oddmusic.com/theremin/what_is_a_theremin.html" title="What is a the Theremin?">The Theremin</a>, the first real electronic instrument. The Theremin is played by standing and <a href="http://www.wcsscience.com/theremin/page.html" title="Science-y explanation of theremin playing">wavings one's hands</a>. It was used to give a futuristic sound to <a href="http://us.imdb.com/Title?0043456" title="IMDB on The Day the Earth Stood Still">classic sci-fi films</a> and still looks plenty sci-fi <a href="http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/machines/theremin/video.html" title="Quicktime video of theramin being played">when played</a>[quicktime clip] and the music it produces is <a href="http://theremin.info/theremin-media/songofgrusia.ram" title="Clara Rockmore playing Rachmanninoff, real player">strange and beautiful</a>[real player].
<br>
<a href="http://us.imdb.com/Title?0108323" title="Documentary movie about Leon's life">Old Leon</a> himself ended up getting kidnapped by Soviet agents and sent to a Siberian prison camp. After his release, he continued to work for the KGB, creating one of the first "bugs" -- then used to eavesdrop on the American Embassy. He was mostly unaware of the fate of his eponymous instrument. Meanwhile, his former lover, <a href="http://www.dickinson.edu/~buchan/clara.jpg" title="A picture of Clara Rockmore">Clara Rockmore</a>, went on to try and change the thermin from novelty to serious instrument, she even had <a href="http://www.ballengermusic.com/Theremin/clara_rockmore_method_midi_page.htm" title="the Rockmore Method">her own unique playing style</a> (heard in the real player clip above). Want to play? <a href="http://www.zzounds.com/love.music?p=p.BIGETHERWAVEKIT&f=3037" title="Purchase a home theremin kit">build your own</a>, or <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/playground/theremin1.shtml" title="BBC desktop Theremin, this one is a double post, sorry!">download your own</a>, and join the whole <a href="http://www.intissar.com/" title="A devoted thereminist">odd subculture</a>.post:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085Sun, 11 Aug 2002 22:57:13 -0800malphigianthereminstheremintermenleontermenmusicmusicalinstrumentssciencefictionClaraRockmoreRockmoreBy: Keyser Sozehttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319719
Tom Waits uses the theremin in some of his music.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319719Sun, 11 Aug 2002 23:42:16 -0800Keyser SozeBy: josephtatehttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319723
An instrument based on the theremin, the <a href="http://www.obsolete.com/120_years/machines/martenot/">ondes martenot</a>, is a <a href="http://www.radiohead.com/">Radiohead</a> mainstay. Johnny Greenwood plays one on their song <a href="http://www.greenplastic.com/lyrics/songs/howtodisappear.html">"How to Disappear Completely."</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319723Sun, 11 Aug 2002 23:49:35 -0800josephtateBy: y2karlhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319733
*waves hands in air*comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319733Mon, 12 Aug 2002 00:31:52 -0800y2karlBy: jackiemcgheehttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319738
Portishead used the theremin very well in Mysterons. Really creepy-cheesy wails. A theremin also sees a lot of action at Nine Inch Nails live shows. It's so filtered though you cant tell by just listening.
I tried to build one years ago, but my ambition far outstripped my ability with a soldering iron. Maybe I'll have another go. Thanks for the links.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319738Mon, 12 Aug 2002 01:03:01 -0800jackiemcgheeBy: Grangousierhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319739
Not sure if it's covered above, but there's also the film <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005BKZO/qid%3D1029139143/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-0675438-4072046">Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey</a> which includes footage of Rockmore (archive and around 1990), Termen himself as well as Bob Moog (who started out building the things) and others.
It's fascinating to watch the precision with which Rockmore plays. Is there anyone left who actually uses it as an instrument rather than just waving their arms around in front of it to make whale/metal detector noises? I know there's at least one concert standard Ondes Martenot player because people want to perform the Turungalîla Symphonie occasionally.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319739Mon, 12 Aug 2002 01:06:32 -0800GrangousierBy: soundofsuburbiahttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319743
I didn't know <a href="http://theremin.info/music-and-video/beach-boys.shtml">this</a>:
<blockquote>The Beach Boys didn't use a theremin at all in 'Good Vibrations' - at least not a standard model. What they used was an Electro - Theremin, a device invented and played by Dr. Paul Tanner</blockquote>
I feel somewhat cheated.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319743Mon, 12 Aug 2002 01:49:58 -0800soundofsuburbiaBy: soundofsuburbiahttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319746
...and, oh yeah, don't forget the <a href="http://www.synthmuseum.com/magazine/0102jw.html">teleharmonium</a>! As long as we're talking early electronic instruments, that is.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319746Mon, 12 Aug 2002 02:18:18 -0800soundofsuburbiaBy: cheailyhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319754
two words.
<a href="http://www.modularpeople.com/neu/rocket_science/">rocket science</a>
the best band you've never heard. guitars, drums, bass, yamaha organ and theremin. impossible not to dance to. come highly recomended by supergrass.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319754Mon, 12 Aug 2002 03:33:18 -0800cheailyBy: ashburyhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319763
The theme song to Star Trek was created by the theremin. I always thought it was some woman with a bizarre talent who sang it. That Gene Roddenberry, go figure.
Also, Badly Drawn Boy has some T on his Bewilderbeast album.
Neat links, malphigian, and answers some questions I had almost a year ago when I went looking for info about the theremin and found almost nothing. The theremin player is way cool, too!comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319763Mon, 12 Aug 2002 05:11:09 -0800ashburyBy: Domain Master 666http://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319766
Hello, Tech Support? I downloaded a virtual theramin, and now my mouse has gone wacky!comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319766Mon, 12 Aug 2002 05:21:38 -0800Domain Master 666By: hama7http://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319770
Thank you so much. I was so impressed, I jonesed the whole thing onto my crappy blog. Thanks malphigian.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319770Mon, 12 Aug 2002 06:07:37 -0800hama7By: cheailyhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319783
ashbury: actually, that's the ondes martenot on the star trek theme, as mentioned above by josephtate.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319783Mon, 12 Aug 2002 06:46:29 -0800cheailyBy: HellKatonWheelzhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319785
The eeriest thing about Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey is the Brian Wilson footage.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319785Mon, 12 Aug 2002 06:51:49 -0800HellKatonWheelzBy: Pinwheelhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319790
Yeah, it's amazing that a near-senile, 85 year old Russian man with little grasp left on the English language managed to seem 3 times more cognizent than Brian Wilson.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319790Mon, 12 Aug 2002 06:59:58 -0800PinwheelBy: ashburyhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319791
cheaily, I stand corrected, my apologies. At least they're related, tho, so I'm not that far off base.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319791Mon, 12 Aug 2002 07:00:58 -0800ashburyBy: ggggarrethttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319796
<a href="http://www.astroman.com/">man... or astroman? </a> uses one of these as well as a tesla coil and a dot matrix printer.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319796Mon, 12 Aug 2002 07:15:27 -0800ggggarretBy: O9scarhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319807
You can't go wrong with Big Briar (aka Bob Moog), but the truly affordable kit is the Paia <a href="http://www.paia.com/theremax.htm">Theremax</a>.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319807Mon, 12 Aug 2002 07:40:25 -0800O9scarBy: sgt.serenityhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319814
ooooooooowweeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuoooooooooooooooooooocomment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319814Mon, 12 Aug 2002 07:53:20 -0800sgt.serenityBy: deathofmehttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319831
what's a liffey?comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319831Mon, 12 Aug 2002 08:26:23 -0800deathofmeBy: nomisxidhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319870
Interesting coincidence, there's one for sale at the music shop in the Sanitary Market in Seattle. I was walking past Friday, and noticed it in the window.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319870Mon, 12 Aug 2002 09:16:50 -0800nomisxidBy: gravelshoeshttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319873
nice. reminds me of <a href="http://www.theremin-saw.com/objects/songnell56.ram">the sound of the musical saw</a> (rather awful real player clip but you get the idea), which might be a bit cheaper to <a href="http://homepages.enterprise.net/scruss/musicalsaw.html">learn</a>. It even seems some theremin players <a href="http://www.theremin-saw.com/">swing both ways</a>comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319873Mon, 12 Aug 2002 09:18:53 -0800gravelshoesBy: itchyrobothttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319874
<a href="http://thereminworld.com/">ThereminWorld</a> is a pretty good resource for theremin information.
It includes some stuff about the 1929 RCA theremin that was recently <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=895209045">up for auction on eBay</a>. The RCA theremin was the first commercially available theremin and is still considered one of the best sounding. Only 500 were originally produced, and only about half of those are expected to still be in existence.
And you can't forget that <a href="http://www.mute.com/bluesexplosion/movie.html">Jon Spencer Blues Explosion</a> uses (or <a href="http://www.korrnet.org/pipermail/levnet/2001-March/017645.html">used</a> may be a better word) a 1960's <a href="http://www.137.com/gallery/vangard.jpg">Moog Vanguard</a> theremin.
Thereminworld also has a list of <a href="http://thereminworld.com/bands.asp">bands that use theremins</a>.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319874Mon, 12 Aug 2002 09:20:23 -0800itchyrobotBy: betarayhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#319917
<a href="http://www.rach.com/td/">Tim DeLaughter's</a> 27 member choral symphonic pop band <a href="http://www.thepolyphonicspree.com">Polyphonic Spree</a> has a theremin player as well. With the <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/janikphoto/texasbands/polyphonic.html">tent-rivial</a> meets rock concert feel of their shows, it's wild watching the sharp movements of the thermin player as he rocks out.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-319917Mon, 12 Aug 2002 10:17:53 -0800betarayBy: kindallhttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#320050
<i>*waves hands in air*</i>
Clearly, y2karl just doesn't care.comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-320050Mon, 12 Aug 2002 12:56:54 -0800kindallBy: mlanghttp://www.metafilter.com/19085/#320517
cheaily: let's review.
tom waits
radiohead
man... or astroman?
jon spencer blues explosion
the beach boys
portishead
all extremely talented.
rocket science
trite, gimmicky, cheesy, over-produced crap.
<small>(admittedly an opinion based solely upon the two sample tracks on their website... but isn't that what sample tracks are for? thanks for pointing them out; now i know never to buy a cd or go to a show.)</small>comment:www.metafilter.com,2002:site.19085-320517Tue, 13 Aug 2002 04:00:24 -0800mlang